Children, nieces, nephews and younger siblings of U.S. service members who died in any manner are invited to Camp Hometown Heroes, a overnight camp June 22 through 28 at YMCA Camp Malawa in Campbellsport.

The camp, founded by Kapco Metal Stamping and its nonprofit partner the volunteer organization Hometown Heroes, is for children ages 7 to 16 and will offer traditional camp activities but will include guidance from pediatric grief specialists. | May 17, 2013»Read Full Article

For the official kick-off of his Born & Raised Tour at the Marcus Amphitheater Saturday night, Mayer treated his Milwaukee fans with the debut live performance of "Wildfire," the first track off this August's album "Paradise Valley." It's a song Mayer told his audience that was just completed three weeks ago. | July 7, 2013»Read Full Article(2)

Buddy Guy

If you had to pick one man as the template for modern rock, you could hardly do better than Buddy Guy. Back in the '60s Guy designed the house that Hendrix, Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan eventually lived in. The ripples from that foundation have touched nearly everyone who has worked in rock, hard rock, blues and even grunge. | July 6, 2013»Read Full Article

Country musician Drake White gave Tap Milwaukee an exclusive acoustic performance of his hit single, "The Simple Life," for a Tap Pre-Show before his show at the Uline Warehouse at Summerfest, opening for fellow country star Craig Morgan on Saturday. | July 6, 2013»Read Full Blog Post

Wisconsin native Nick Hexum of the rock band 311 took a few minutes before the group's headlining show at the Miller Lite Oasis at Summerfest tonight to answer 10 questions for Tap Milwaukee music writer Piet Levy. Hexum talks a little about what he likes about the state and about Summerfest, what it was like delivering his second daughter and where he thinks the band will be in 25 years.

Hexum also teased a jazz project he's working on with his brother as well as a forthcoming 13-song album from 311. | July 6, 2013»Read Full Blog Post

More than eight years after buying Bay View's Avalon Theater, Lee Barczak is set to begin a $2.5 million conversion of the long-closed building into a two-screen cinema with sit-down dining and a full bar.

Barczak is wrapping up arrangements to obtain a commercial loan to help finance the project. His general contractor has been obtaining bids and plans to begin the work this month, with Barczak hoping to have the theater open by Christmas. | July 6, 2013»Read Full Article(7)

Jarid Bacon recently finalized the purchase of the cart from Jeff Steckel. Bacon and his wife, Sarah Duhr, will be serving the popular banh mi and other sandwiches from the Jeppa Joes menu, and expect to add sandwiches down the road. "We definitely want to put our own fingerprint on it," Bacon said. | July 6, 2013»Read Full Blog Post

Milwaukee denizen and ladies' favorite Rick Springfield gave an exciting power-pop rock show to a diverse crowd at Summerfest last night. Less than an hour before taking the stage as the Uline Warehouse headliner, Springfield sat down with Journal Sentinel music writer Piet Levy to answer 10 questions for Tap Milwaukee.

Springfield talks about why he keeps coming back to Milwaukee, how he would describe his fan base, which of his songs has the most special meaning for him and where he thinks "Jessie's Girl" might be today. | July 6, 2013»Read Full Blog Post(1)

THREE TO SEE: JULY 6

Something known: Buddy Guy (10 p.m. Harley-Davidson Roadhouse). Having two of the best electric guitarists around playing Summerfest on the same night is a minor travesty, but we'd have to go with seeing the elder blues legend over John Mayer (although Mayer's amphitheater set is early enough that Guy could show up for a song or two). | July 6, 2013»Read Full Article(3)